


That Would Be Enough

by prettybirdy979



Series: May Not Live To See Our Glory [2]
Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Aftermath, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death Fix, Friendship, Gen, Not Canon Compliant, Rebuilding, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-10
Updated: 2016-01-10
Packaged: 2018-05-12 23:31:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5685790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettybirdy979/pseuds/prettybirdy979
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben may be alive but Fisk is still out there and his men are looking for him. At the same time, the Devil of Hell's Kitchen is looking to take him down.</p>
<p>In the midst of this, Foggy has to see if he can move forward with Matt and try to trust that Matt will live to see tomorrow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That Would Be Enough

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is, the first of at least two fics dealing with the aftermath of Ben living. =)
> 
> HUGE thanks to PipMer for looking it over and Zwaluw for help with titles.

The sound of fists pounding into a solid bag is not one Foggy’s familiar with, nor is the sound of a man grunting as he makes frantic strike after strike. However he recognises the man’s voice, even as it makes noises he never thought his mild mannered friend capable of. 

He didn’t think Matt was capable of a lot of things he is, apparently. Foggy takes a deep breath at the thought and pushes it away and the anger it causes away. It’s not why he’s here. 

Matt must have known he was here the moment he walked in - or at least Foggy assumes he did, he’s now not very sure of what Matt can perceive - but he doesn’t pause in his attacks until Foggy is close. ‘How'd you know I was here?’

The fact that Matt doesn’t need Foggy to declare himself is another blow to every memory of their friendship Foggy had but he takes another deep breath and lets it go. ‘Known about your outlet for a while. I didn't say anything because I thought it had something to do with your dad.’ Foggy pauses and decides to get in one barb. ‘Now I know better.’

Matt just sighs and doesn’t rise to the bait, instead returning to his pummelling of the punching bag. ‘You saved Ben,’ Foggy says when it’s clear Matt’s not going to ask any questions; like how he came to know about this place before now.

Again, Matt pauses his frantic attack of the punching bag for a moment, before shrugging and starting up again. ‘It’s what I do,’ he says between punches. The few beams of morning sunlight that have managed to creep in barely touch him, leaving Matt mostly in shadows. Foggy vaguely wonders if Matt can tell.

Foggy takes a few more steps into the gym and leans against the ropes of the ring. ‘I thought you just beat people up in your black pyjamas.’ 

‘That too,’ Matt says and for a moment it’s like it was before, with Matt’s deadpan wit. But of course it’s not and Foggy should feel angry and betrayed but… but he’s tired. Tired of feeling angry, betrayed and lonely. 

Because, despite everything, he misses his friend. He misses Matt’s oft hidden sense of humour and his stupid dorky smiles. He misses  _ Matt _ , no matter how much it feels like the man before him isn’t the friend he knew. Maybe he isn’t. But the friend Foggy knew would have done everything he could to save Ben’s life.

Like this man did. Foggy’s here to see how much of his friend this man contains and if it’s possible to be his friend again. And to find out where Ben is.

If he’s okay. 

Matt must pick up on Foggy’s thoughts - through his heartbeat or something equally invasive - because he slows down then stops his attacks. ‘Is there something I can help you with?’ he asks as he unwraps his hands. His tone is polite but it’s the type of polite Foggy knows well. Matt only uses it when he’s not impressed with someone’s actions but doesn’t want to call them out on it. Something in Foggy is pleased to realise he still knows his best friend that well.

The rest of him is outraged Matt is using that tone on him, even if it is a bit justified after Foggy ignoring him for the last week. Something Matt deserved. 

Urgh, fighting is complicated. ‘I just… wanted to know how Ben is.’

Matt tilts his head at Foggy, considering. ‘You want to know where he is,’ he says as he packs his bag.

Foggy shrugs, then facepalms. ‘I just shrugged. You knew that right?’

‘I knew,’ Matt sighs. ‘It’s not safe for you to know-’ 

‘Yeah, see. I’m calling bullshit.’ Matt’s head jerks but Foggy ignores it, ‘You’re just trying to do this all alone because hey, who needs help from the rest of us mere mortals.’ 

Matt’s face goes hard and angry for a moment before he sighs and lowers his head. ‘I don’t want to fight again,’ he says softly.

Foggy sighs too. ‘Yeah, I didn’t either.’

‘Then why are you here?’

Good question. ‘Because I want to help bring Fisk down. I want to see him suffer for what he did to Elena… for what he almost did to Ben. Marci and-’

‘Marci?’ Matt asks, his tone sharp as he pulls on his coat. ‘What’s your ex got to do with this?’

Right. Matt didn’t know this. ‘She’s been helping me. Copying documents from Landman and Zac on the sly. A whole host of documents-’

Matt slams his hands into the floor of the ring. ‘You’re kidding. After everything that’s happened, after what nearly happened to Ben, you’ve got your ex involved too?’ He buries his head in his hands. ‘I have to stop this, stop Fisk, before he manages to kill someone else.’

He walks away and Foggy frantically follows, ‘You can’t go after him! Last time you did, I found you in far worse shape than Ben ever was. He’ll  _ kill you _  or you’ll kill him and that’s going to have the same effect on someone as Catholic as you are.’

Matt turns back to him, his sightless eyes looking dead and hopeless. ‘What am I supposed to do then? Wait until he goes after someone else? How do I stop him before he kills you?’

Foggy hides his instinctive surprise at the fact that Matt cares about him. But then, of course he cares. He cares maybe too much. ‘By using the law, like you told me and Karen to do. People are already talking about Ben’s article, it’s everywhere. We can u-’

‘We? I thought Nelson and Murdock were over?’ And Matt sounds as hopeless as he looks… as he looked, the day Foggy walked out on him. 

‘There is nothing I want more than to find a way back to where we were,’ Foggy says and he’s surprised to realise every word is true. He wants his friend back, he wants Matt at his side and he wants to _be_ __ at Matt’s side, despite all the risks. Matt… Matt is worth it. 

‘We can’t,’ Matt says and Foggy feels his heart breaking because how can it be that the moment he chooses to try and save their friendship is the moment Matt chooses to end it. ‘But maybe we can find a way to move forwards, Foggy.’

Together hangs in the air but remains unspoken. It dawns on Foggy that this is the first time Matt’s said his name since he left Matt in his apartment. ‘Maybe we can Matt.’ He holds out his hand without narrating his actions and after a moment, Matt takes it. Foggy uses that grip to pull his friend into a brief hug which Matt doesn’t resist. ‘I missed you.’

Matt just nods before stepping away. But Foggy knows his friend and that’s basically an admission of the same. ‘I should… I should get ah, showered. And changed. Then-’

‘Then we should go talk to Brett, see what the police know. And then,’ Foggy bites his lip, ‘then we should go talk to Ben. Or the man in the mask should.’

For a moment Matt considers Foggy. Then he nods and offers, ‘I’ve been meaning to introduce you to my priest for a while now.’ Foggy takes a deep breath, both at the realisation of where Matt hid Ben and the fact that his friend is finally -  _ finally _  - trusting him fully. 

Foggy nods. ‘So I’ll meet you at the station?’ He’s not been to church since he went with Matt for Easter Sunday but he knows he’s a little underdressed for the occasion. 

Matt nods as his phone starts to ring, calling out Karen’s name. He cocks his head in confusion before answering it. ‘Hey Kare-’

While Foggy’s sure Matt could hear the other side of the conversation if their roles were reversed, all he can do is watch Matt’s reactions. So when Matt’s eyes widen and his mouth slackens in shock or surprise, he takes a step towards his friend. 

‘No, stay there. We’ll be right the- yes ah we. Foggy’s with me.’ Matt pauses and a small smile appears on his face, ‘We’re talking again yes. Look, Karen stay there. We’ll be right there.’ He hangs up and turns to Foggy, ‘The police are at our office.’

‘What? Why?’ Matt unfolds his cane and Foggy falls into place at his left hand side, as if nothing has changed. He goes to take Matt’s elbow and pauses, unsure if he’s welcome. But then he sees Matt’s flinch - subtle to anyone who didn’t know him - and sighs. He slips his arm into Matt’s and feels the way he tenses, then seems to forcibly relax. He’s still tense, as if waiting for Foggy to pull away.

Foggy sighs and resolves to put this on the list of things they have to work on while moving forward. 

‘We’re being questioned about the disappearance of Ben Urich,’ Matt says deadpan and Foggy stops dead. Matt stops a moment later as Foggy doesn’t let go of his arm.

‘But… it’s not been twenty four hours yet. How could he be declared missing yet?’

Matt shrugs and starts walking, pulling Foggy along for a moment before he gets the message to move. ‘We weren’t exactly quiet last night, with all the struggling. And I think Ben’s place was a mess when we left.’

‘You think?’

‘It’s not always easy for me to tell,’ Matt groans, ‘I have to focus and for the most part I was trying to get Fisk off Ben and Ben out of there. I didn’t stop to take inventory.’

Right okay. That… makes sense maybe. Foggy’s definitely going to have to question Matt later about exactly what he can ‘see’. Sense. Whatever. ‘Okay. Well do we need to get a story straight?’

‘Just tell the truth,’ Matt says as they turn towards the office. ‘But leave out Ben’s phone call.’

‘Got it.’ 

******** 

Matt pauses just before they reach the office, head cocked like he’s listening to something. ‘What is it?’

‘There’s at least four people in there, two detectives and two regular duty officers. Fisk’s men, I’ve had runs in with all of them while in the mask.’ He cocks his head again, seemingly focusing. ‘Karen’s not impressed and-’ suddenly anger flashes across his face in a savage growl, ‘-they want to see our files.’

The same anger races through Foggy. ‘Oh they have no right to do that!’ He goes to storm upstairs but Matt grabs his hand. 

‘Calm down. We can’t know that yet.’ But they _do_  and Foggy knows as well as Matt does that walking into a meeting this prepared is good. It’s always better when you know what your opponent wants beforehand but they don’t know that you know. Means you hold more of the cards. ‘Foggy calm down,’ he repeats.

‘Hey I am calm,’ Foggy snaps and okay he might not be calm.

‘Your heartbeat isn’t.’ His traitorous heart speeds up again at the sound of Matt calling it out.

Foggy groans. ‘I’m sure you know most of us can’t hear that.’

‘But I bet it shows on your face,’ Matt says as he opens their door. Which is probably true yeah but can’t Matt tell?

Foggy follows, considering this latest thought. ‘So… faces?’

‘As much a mystery to me as any blind guy.’ Matt shrugs. ‘Though I can sometimes pick out that your face has changed by the movement of air and muscles, I can’t sense the expression.’ 

That makes perfect sense and Foggy would totally continue this conversation but it’s then they reach their office door. Matt nods at Foggy to lead the way and he does so, freezing in the doorway.

Karen’s sitting at her desk, two uniformed police officers on either side. A dark haired detective Foggy doesn’t recognise is trying to access their filing cabinet while a second man is searching Karen’s desk. The rage Foggy felt at Matt’s declaration downstairs returns at the sight. 

‘What the hell is going on?’ he demands, then remembers he has to narrate for Matt. ‘Matt, these idiots have Karen looking like a suspect and they’re trying to go through our confidential files - without a warrant, I’m sure.’ The detective at the filing cabinet steps away instantly and turns to look at them, a glare on his face. The younger of the two uniformed officers looks sheepish but the second looks completely unruffled, while the other detective continues his search through Karen’s desk.   

Foggy takes a step towards him, ‘You’re going to stop _now_  and explain to us why you’re here.’ When he doesn’t move, Foggy takes another step. ‘Now!’

‘We’re investigating the death of Ben Urich-’

‘He’s dead?’ Karen asks, horror in her voice. ‘You only said he was missing!’ Even Matt looks vaguely terrified and horrified, so Foggy’s not sure if these men are lying or not. He knows his face has shifted into a similar expression to Matt’s. The younger uniformed officer looks from face to face with a confused expression, as if he’d expected a different reaction.

The dark haired detective continues as if Karen hadn’t spoken, ‘-and have reason to believe you three were the last to see him alive.’ He gives them all a considering look, ‘Would you like to tell us about that here or at the station?’

‘Here,’ Matt says calmly. ‘We’ve nothing to hide.’

‘So you won’t mind us look-’

‘Yes,’ Matt snaps, cutting him off. ‘We do mind you looking through our files. Our clients deserve absolute privacy and you have no legal right to request access to them. Not even for a miss… a death.’ He moves into the centre of the room. ‘Can you identify yourself please? I’m sure you’ve shown my partner and secretary your badges but well,’ he gestures at his glasses, ‘it’s not really going to help me.’

Oh clever Matt! His words remind Foggy that neither detective has identified themselves to him. He raises an eyebrow at the men, causing one of the two uniformed officers to pat at his badge while the other officer and the detectives just stare. 

‘I’m Officer Carlsen,’ he says, pointing Foggy to his badge. He seems to notice he’s the only one who bothered because he elbows his partner, ‘This is Officer Corbin and those are Detectives Edwards and Tardio.’ Tardio finally stops his search of Karen’s desk to show his badge, Edwards a step behind. Corbin doesn’t move and Matt shifts slightly beside Foggy.

He glances at his friend and holy shit he looks dangerous. Foggy vaguely recognises the stance he’s in from the video of Matt’s Dad he’d watched over and again in college, so he could describe the fight for Matt on the one day a year Matt needed to watch it. It’s a fighting stance. 

Also videos. Foggy makes a mental note to ask Matt how much he can ‘see’ of videos. 

But first, he needs to defuse this situation and get these assholes out of here before Matt decides he doesn’t need the mask to beat people up. ‘Why do you want to see our files?’ Foggy asks, his tone deliberately light. ‘They have nothing to do with Ben; only with our cases.’

‘So Mr Urich never stored anything here?’ Edwards asks, his tone sharp and biting compared to Foggy’s. 

Karen shakes her head. ‘I told you this; Ben had his own files and he kept them with him.’

Tardio pulls out a notebook. ‘When was the last time you saw Ben Urich?’ Matt bites his lip, clearly swallowing his usual smart assed remark about seeing. Good, this isn’t the time. 

‘Last night,’  Foggy says when it’s clear no one else is going to talk. ‘I came into the office to d-finish up some work I’d forgotten about earlier and he was here with Matt and Karen.’

‘Why?’

‘The company,’ Matt says. ‘We’ve all had a bad time of it recently and thought it might be nice to do our late night work together.’

Officer Corbin cuts in, ‘Urich’s article?’

‘Yes,’ Matt bristles at the sharp tone. Edwards shoots Corbin a look and he nods and backs down.

‘When did Mr Urich leave?’ Tardio asks. Foggy pauses, unsure of how to answer this without touching on the whole man in the mask fight. But Tardio is impatient, ‘Mr Murdock?’

‘I don’t know,’ Matt answers. ‘When I left he was still here.’

All four men look surprised at that. ‘You let him stay in your office alone?’ Edwards asks.

Matt shakes his head. ‘Karen and Foggy were still here. I left first.’

‘Why?’ Tardio sounds suspicious which makes no sense. 

‘I… Foggy and I had a disagreement a few days ago,’ he says and Foggy holds back the instinctive correction that it’s been over a week. Karen too, manages not to look surprised at Matt’s lying. ‘We’ve mostly sorted it out but last night I was… unwilling to force my presence on him until everything was fixed. I left when he arrived.’ 

‘What was the disagreement about?’

Matt frowns. ‘A private matter related to our firm and our clients.’

Clearly deciding this line of questioning isn’t worth pursuing, Tardio turns to Foggy. ‘Did he leave a long time before Ben?’ 

Foggy shrugs. ‘I’m not sure. Ben did leave soon after; said he wanted to get out of our hair. It was probably about half past two?’

‘Sounds about right,’ Karen says. ‘Matt came in about eleven and Ben got here not long after that so yeah.’

‘You work strange hours,’ Edwards says, his tone deliberately light.

‘Our hours suit our current clientele.’

‘Which is?’

‘Privileged,’ Matt snaps, fiddling with his cane. Foggy can see how white his knuckles are from the tight grip he has on it. He’s clearly struggling to hold in his temper. 

Foggy steps up, subtly putting himself between Matt and the officers as he moves closer to Karen. ‘What happened?’ he asks, reaching for her hand. She gives it to him. ‘What happened to Ben? No one’s told me.’

His clueless act pays off. ‘A friend of his came to his home this morning, to check on him after everything last night,’ Tardio reads from his notepad, ‘Ben was nowhere to be found despite the presence of his car and keys and there were clear signs of foul play.’ 

‘Oh God,’ Foggy says looking down. ‘Do… do you think this had anything to do with the article he wrote?’ Matt’s hiss is nearly inaudible but the jerk of his cane into Foggy’s ankle is not painless. Only luck stops Foggy showing the pain on his face.

‘Do you?’ Edwards asks instantly in a sharp tone.

Foggy shrugs. ‘No idea. It’s just… really weird timing, that’s all.’

The silent Officer Carlsen suddenly speaks up, ‘That would assume Mr Fisk is the kind of man to kill someone for slander.’

‘Who said Mr Fisk did it?’ Matt asks. ‘We were only asking if the article and its promise of more had anything to do with Ben’s di-murder.’ Carlsen looks sheepish and Edwards and Tardio murderous. Corbin just looks annoyed. 

‘Did you know anyone with a reason to harm Mr Urich?’ Tardio finally gets out.

Matt gives a bland smile, ‘Besides Mr Fisk? Not personally but then, we only recently made Ben’s acquaintance. Surely he has-had closer friends than the three of us?’

Score. Edwards shifts and Tardio sighs. ‘This is a standard question. Mr Nelson, Miss Page is there anything - anything at all - you can remember about Urich before he left. Did he seem nervous? Scared? Angry?’

Karen shakes his head. ‘He was already planning his next article-’

‘On?’

‘He didn’t say,’ she says and Matt’s head jerks slightly. A lie? But a lie so good Foggy can’t tell.

And neither can the officers. ‘Is there anything else that might help?’

They all shake their heads. ‘No,’ Foggy says. ‘Nothing.’

Edwards gives the filing cabinet one last look as Tardio puts his notebook away. ‘Thank you for your time,’ he says and he leads the officers out. 

Karen goes to speak once the door is shut but Matt holds up a hand. She shuts her mouth, startled but Matt can’t - no doesn’t, he doesn’t seem to notice, focused as he is on something. Then he lowers his hand. ‘Sorry, I was listening for the outside door shutting. Making sure we’re not being eavesdropped on.’

‘You can hear that?’ Karen asks.

‘Only if it’s quiet,’ Matt says with a soft smile. ‘I’m sure you could too if you were listening for it.’ Oh he’s a good liar. Foggy has to admire him. 

Karen just nods. Then she sort of collapses into her chair, biting her lip. ‘Do you think they’re telling the truth? About… about Ben?’

Matt shakes his head. ‘No. I can’t believe it… we have to keep faith. Ben isn’t dead and he’ll contact us soon.’ He kneels down by Karen, similar to how he did the first time she was here. ‘Are you alright?’ he says, reaching for her hands. 

She takes them and squeezes. ‘I’m fine.’ Then she looks from Foggy to Matt. ‘Have… have you two made up?’

Matt turns his head in Foggy’s direction, as if waiting for Foggy’s judgement. ‘We have,’ Foggy says softly. ‘Seems a bit pointless to be fighting when Fisk is actively trying to kill us.’

‘Me,’ Karen says softly and releases Matt’s hands. She looks down and sniffs. ‘He wants _me_  dead, not you.’

‘Karen-’ Foggy tries to cut in.

But she holds up a hand to stop him. ‘Ben said Fisk was after him because he knew Ben saw his mother. Ben was only there because of _me_ . Once Fisk realises I was there… he’ll come after me and-’

‘And we’ll protect you,’ Matt cuts in, his voice fierce. ‘I’ll protect you. I made you a promise Karen, that I’ll keep you safe. I’m not going to go back on it now.’

Foggy bites his lip, realising for the first time what Matt did for Karen, way back then. ‘And your pal in the mask,’ he adds, drawing Karen and Matt’s attention. ‘You said he saved Ben, right?’ Karen nods. ‘Well then. He saved you, that one time. I’m sure he’s looking out for you now, or will be.’

Something dark crosses Karen face but she nods. ‘You’ve changed your tune.’

Oh yeah, he hates the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. In all the pain around realising Matt was the Devil, Foggy kinda forgot he’d hated him. Actually, that’s a lie. But now Foggy remembers the hate… and all he can think of is that that’s Matt. And he could never hate Matt. Even as a liar, Foggy couldn’t hate him. 

But he can’t tell Karen this. Time to lie. Damnit Matt. ‘He saved Ben and he’s working against Fisk. I’m going to withhold judgement until this is over.’ He pauses then sighs, ‘Innocent until proven guilty. In all the rush to condemn the bombings, I might have forgotten that.’

Karen grins at him, wide and almost carefree. ‘You just might have.’ 

‘And you’re always going on at me for forgetting it,’ Matt chimes in. Foggy reacts maturely and with the dignity expected of an adult.

‘He’s sticking his tongue out at you,’ Karen narrates and Matt laughs.

It feels so much like normal that for a second, Foggy can forget they’re scared for their lives. 

********

But the moment has to end. Foggy and Matt tell Karen about their plan to talk to Brett (without mentioning their plan to visit Ben) and Foggy shows her the files from Marci. Karen instantly volunteers to go through them, looking for something - anything - they can use. Foggy gets the impression she’ll take any excuse to avoid having to visit the police station. He doesn’t blame her.

So it’s only Matt on Foggy’s arm when he pulls Brett outside for a quiet word. ‘Foggy, I got better things to do than be seen with a-’

Foggy cuts in. ‘Better things like investigate Ben Urich’s murder?’ 

Brett looks taken aback, like Foggy just punched him in the gut. ‘Urich’s dead? Last thing I’d heard, he was missing.’

‘We got a visit,’ Matt says quietly, ‘from a pair of detectives accompanied by two uniformed officers who were investigating Ben’s murder.’ Brett starts to shake his head at Matt’s words, almost in disbelief. ‘They want to investigate our files, to help with their case as we were the last ones to, ah, ‘see’ him alive.’

That gets a slight smile from Brett before the rest of Matt’s words seem to sink in and he shakes his head again. ‘Officially, Urich’s just vanished. His boss reported it and the place was enough of a mess to make it suspicious.’

Foggy perks up at the mention of Ben’s editor. ‘But Ben was fired. That night too. Why was his old boss there?’

Brett’s eyes narrow. ‘Hadn’t heard that. Want me to pass it on?’ 

‘No,’ Matt snaps and Brett raises an eyebrow. ‘I ah, I don’t think the officers that are working his case are that… trustworthy.’

That causes Brett to sigh as two officers - the ones from earlier - walk out. They signal to Brett that he’s wanted inside and he leans in to whisper to Foggy. ‘You’re not the only one. Had a run in few days ago, with that nut in a mask. At that Chinese place, with all the heroin.’ Foggy nods to show he knows the story.

‘The Devil? What happened?’ Matt seems to be losing focus, moving away slightly. Foggy ignores him. 

‘What do you think happened? I got my ass beat. But what he said… got me thinking.’

‘I hear he has that effect on people.’ Brett raises an eyebrow and Foggy elaborates, ‘Ben was working with him, last I heard and he’s saved Karen’s life. Like I said, I’ve heard of his effect on people.’

That gets an eyeroll from Brett. ‘Well, he said Fisk owned most of the cops around. And from what I’ve seen… well it ain’t much of a leap.’ Something cold rushes through Foggy at the thought of his long time enemy - okay sometime friend - in a nest of dishonest cops. Because of the many traits of Brett’s that have annoyed Foggy over the years, his honesty is probably the biggest. Brett Mahoney is as honest as they come, even if it’s going to get him and his ‘friend’ into trouble for eating the last cupcakes.There’s no way he’s crooked… and no way he’ll ever  _ be  _ crooked. 

‘Look, I gotta get back. Not like this is important, Murdock’s not even listening-’

‘Sorry, distracted.’ Matt slips back to Foggy’s side. ‘You were saying?’

Brett sighs. ‘Nothing important. Officially, Urich’s case is still a missing persons but-’ he cuts off, and Foggy realises he must have flinched. ‘You know something.’

‘Nothing,’ Foggy lies.

It works as well now as it did when they were ten. ‘Uh huh. You’re a shit liar Foggy, especially for a lawyer. What do you know?’

‘Ben Urich is not dead,’ Matt says quietly. ‘At least, he wasn’t dead as of an hour after his attack when he contacted us.’

‘And you’ve not mentioned this because-’

‘Because we don’t know where Ben is and the man that attacked him is still out there.’

Brett’s eyes widen. ‘Murdock, this is big. You can’t keep this from the police.’

Matt’s mouth quirks, in a ghost of a smile. ‘We’re not. We’re telling you, aren’t we?’

‘I’m not the police, I’m just one cop.’

‘But,’ Foggy says, ‘you’re the only cop we know for sure is honest.’ Something in Brett’s eyes goes soft even as he sighs and shakes his head. 

‘Thanks a lot. It’s honest cops usually get shot in the face.’

‘Be careful then,’ Matt says as Brett heads inside. He just waves a hand at him, something Foggy doesn’t bother to narrate. Instead he slips his arm into Matt’s as his friend leans closer.

‘Overheard that cop talking, while you were busy with Brett. He’s looking for Hoffman, Owlsley has him holed up somewhere in the city.’

‘Hoffman’s still alive? He could blow this case wide open… make any testimony of Ben’s about Fisk look credible…’

‘Get Ben out of hiding,’ Matt adds. ‘But only if we find him first.’

Foggy pauses, dragging Matt to a stumbling halt. Embarrassed, Foggy starts walking again. ‘So do we go talk to Ben or try to find Hoffman?’

Matt bites his lip. ‘I think… I think the Devil should visit Ben and Nelson and Murdock should try and find Hoffman.’

‘And what is Matt Murdock going to do?’ Foggy’s question makes Matt tilt his head and look at Foggy, as if he’s trying to stare into Foggy’s soul.

‘Matt Murdock will stand beside his friends. Always.’

‘...That’s not an answer buddy,’ Foggy says after a long silence. ‘As much as I like the sentiment, it’s not an answer.’

That causes Matt to smile sheepishly, as if Foggy’s just called him out on something. ‘I think Matt Murdock will help Franklin Nelson sift through files.’

‘All right!’ Foggy declares, giving a little jump of joy that turns Matt’s sheepish smile into a genuine grin. ‘Though maybe stop with the referring to yourself in the third person bit. It’s kinda offputting.’ Foggy thinks over what Matt just said. ‘Also did you call me  _ Franklin? _ ’

Matt laughs, ‘Would I do that?’

‘You would! You asshole!’

********

To no one’s surprise, it’s Karen who spots the inconsistency that leads Matt to Hoffman. But it is to Foggy’s surprise that he willingly lets Matt go after him in the mask, with nearly no complaints. It’s a surprise that he feels… well not great but not angry and maybe a bit proud, sending his friend out to fight the good fight. He might not agree with Matt’s actions but if they save Hoffman and bring Fisk down…

Well, Foggy won’t complain. 

Finally, after what seems like forever, Foggy gets a call from a number he doesn’t recognise or have saved into his phone. Confused, he steps into his office to take it.

‘Hello?’

_ ‘Foggy, it’s me. Hoffman’s just walked up to Brett; he’s getting him to an interrogation room now.’  _ Matt’s voice, pain free and triumphant comes through the phone. Right, this must be the number of his burner phone, the one Foggy called Claire on.

‘And you?’

_ ‘I’m fine. Not even a scratch.’  _ Matt pauses then adds,  _ ‘I nearly didn’t make it in time. There was an officer holding a gun to Hoffman’s head when I got there. _ ’

Fear and anger floods Foggy. ‘Jesus Christ.’

_ ‘An accurate summary, _ ’ Matt says, a touch of amused reproach in his voice.  _ ‘Brett should be calling us soon; if he takes the hint. I’ll meet you at the station.’ _

‘What about Ben?’

There’s a long moment of silence then, ‘ _ We’ll go to him afterwards. Say the man in the mask sent us and tell him what’s happened. _ ’

Foggy nods. ‘And Karen?’

_ ‘Like we could leave Karen behind _ .’ 

_ You’ve left her behind by not telling her about this,  _ Foggy thinks but does not say. 

********

It takes until nearly dawn to for the FBI to fully take Hoffman’s statement; the delay half caused by the time it took for the FBI agents to get to the station but also by the sheer amount of information Hoffman has to give. He doesn’t stop talking for three hours straight. Matt, Karen and Foggy stumble out of the precinct and all Foggy can think of is finding his bed and sleeping for a week. 

He and Karen are halfway to her place - a silent agreement between him and Matt to see her home safely - before it dawns on him that Matt is not beside them.

It must dawn on Karen at the same time because she’s turning to look behind them as he calls out, ‘Matt?’

There’s no sign of him and Foggy and Karen exchange panicked looks. ‘Matt?’ Foggy repeats, taking a few steps back towards the precinct. ‘Buddy, where’d you go?’ He must have been asleep to not notice Matt tugging his arm out of Foggy’s but… wait, did he ever put his arm in Foggy’s to begin with?

It’s then Foggy’s phone starts to ring. Matt’s face is on its screen as he answers, ‘Matt? Where are you?’ He puts the phone on speaker, so Karen can hear as they continue their path back to the precinct. Please Matt don’t say anything incriminating. 

_ ‘Alleyway behind the precinct,’  _ Matt says, his voice flat but with an almost inaudible note of amusement.  _ ‘I stopped for a sec, and our masked friend dragged me in here.’  _ Wait...

‘Are you okay?’ Karen says, fear in her voice. ‘I thought he only went after bad guys.’

_ ‘He does,’ _ Matt says, amusement in his voice.  _ ‘He just wanted to talk to me. To ah, tell me where to find Ben.’ _

It suddenly dawns on Foggy what Matt’s doing. He’s giving them an excuse to be able to see Ben without having to give himself up as the masked man to Karen. Clever.

Of course Karen doesn’t know this. ‘Why did he tell you?’

_ ‘I think mostly because I’d have issues identifying him, _ ’ Matt says dryly and Karen flinches.  _ ‘But also because I already know the place where Ben is.’ _

‘You do?’ Karen asks as they turn the corner and into the alleyway. Matt raises his head at their approach and smiles. He’s looking a bit rumpled and his cane is on the other side of the alley; a perfect excuse for why he didn’t try to catch up. All in all, if Foggy didn’t know better he’d believe Matt had been dragged into this alleyway unwillingly. 

Matt nods and hangs up his phone. ‘I do. Say, how would you guys like to meet my priest?’

Karen blinks at the non-sequitur but Foggy nods in pretended realisation. ‘Of course. Where else would you hide a wanted man?’

********

Ben’s eyes widen as Father Lantom - a very nice older man who Foggy is definitely coming back to talk to - lets them into the private room where he’s hiding. ‘You can’t be here,’ he says, panic in his voice.

Karen ignores him to throw herself at him and hug him. ‘You’re okay,’ she whispers, relief in every syllable. ‘I thought… you’re okay.’

For a moment Ben is frozen but then he sighs and hugs Karen back. ‘I’ll live.’ He meets Foggy’s eyes over Karen’s shoulder. ‘You shouldn’t be here.’

‘We’re here on the information of a mutual friend,’ Matt says with a quirk of his lips. Ben blinks in confusion - something Foggy takes care to narrate - and Matt adds, ‘The Man in the Mask. He ah, cornered me and said it should be safe for us to see you.’ 

‘Safe?’

‘We got Hoffman,’ Karen says as she pulls out of the hug. ‘The FBI is going to apply for warrants for Fisk and his network today. It’s  _ over _ .’ 

But Ben shakes his head. ‘It’s not over until he’s in custody. Hell, it ain’t over until there’s a conviction.’ 

‘Which is why we’re here,’ Foggy says. ‘Ben you were attacked by Fisk… you were nearly killed by him. If you come forwa-’

‘If I come forward, it’s not just my life I’m risking.’ Ben’s eyes rest on Karen for a moment. ‘And for the first time in my life, I’m not sure justice is worth the price.’ He shakes his head and rises. ‘You really shouldn’t have come. What if someone saw?’

‘Then they would have seen me showing my two closest friends my church,’ Matt says, steel in his voice. ‘Nothing suspicious about that.’ Ben jerks in surprise and examines Matt for a long moment. Matt doesn’t seem to notice. ‘We’re not risking you Ben, not after everything.’ He looks down with a sad smile, ‘There was a moment there we’d thought we’d lost you.’ 

Ben bites his lip then nods. ‘What did you have in mind? For me coming forward?’

Perfect. ‘We’re already Hoffman’s lawyers,’ Foggy says, ignoring Ben’s surprised look. ‘We’ll contact one of the agents he’s working with and let them know we have the details of a witness against Fisk who believes his life is in danger if he comes forward and let them handle it from there.’

‘After he’s been arrested,’ Karen says and everyone turns to look at her, surprise on their faces. She doesn’t blink. ‘He can’t hurt you from prison and you’ll be safe then.’

‘Karen-’

‘Please.’ She’s practically begging and something in Ben sags at her tone. 

He nods. ‘Okay.’ Then he smirks. ‘What have you ‘crazy kids’ been up to then, that you ‘got’ Hoffman? And how’s my blog post going? I’ve not had access to the internet since I got here. Father Lantom said it might pose more of a risk than an advantage.’ He sounds vaguely disgusted, though Foggy’s not sure if it’s at Father Lantom or himself.  

Karen smiles and starts to rattle off the tale of finding Hoffman. Foggy digs in his bag for his laptop, to show Ben how his article has exploded over the internet. It will be a worthy use of his data, unless there’s a cafe nearby whose internet he can steal. 

Out of the corner of his eye he sees Matt start to slip out the door. 

‘Matt?’ he mutters under his breath, sure Ben and Karen won’t hear it but Matt should. He must do because he pauses in the doorway and turns his head to Ben and Karen, with a questioning tilt. ‘Not looking at you,’ Foggy says, realising what he’s silently asking. Matt nods, then crosses himself and touches his lips. Right, going to talk to Father Lantom, probably about something Devil related. Foggy nods in turn and Matt smiles.

He then slips out of the room so silently Foggy has to wonder if it’s another of his superpowers. 

********

Karen’s halfway through describing their run in with the police over Ben when Foggy’s phone rings. He takes the call, ignoring Karen’s stink eye, and doesn’t say a word as he listens to the woman on the other end. 

By the time he hangs up Matt and Father Lantom have slipped into the room and everyone is looking at him. ‘Foggy?’ Matt says and there’s a note of panic in his voice. Foggy’s heart is pounding so he’s not surprised his friend is worried.

‘That was the prosecutor.’ Foggy manages to sit, relief still flooding him. ‘They just got the arrest warrant for Fisk. They’re heading there right now.’ 

‘It’s over?’ Karen says as she too sags into a seat. ‘It’s over,’ she repeats, certainty in her voice.

Ben shakes his head, also seated. ‘It ain’t over until there’s a conviction,’ he says and everyone deflates a bit. ‘That said, an arrest means there’s enough evidence to ruin him.’

‘To prove you right.’ Karen moves to Ben’s side with a smile. 

‘We should celebrate,’ Matt says and everyone turns to him. ‘Fisk is in jail and we’re the ones who put him there. We deserve a celebration.’

‘I could do lattes?’ Father Lantom says. ‘Good Irish ones.’ Foggy starts to laugh at the look on Matt’s face and Lantom smiles. ‘I’m a priest not a saint Matthew.’ 

‘Sounds perfect,’ Ben says, amusement in his tone. ‘I don’t think I’m up to moving this to a bar.’ Foggy eyes the bruises clearly visible on his throat and silently agrees. 

He turns to Father Lantom. ‘She also said it’ll probably make the news. You have a T.V in here?’

******** 

They’re soon settled in around a small but functioning television in what Foggy’s sure is Father Lantom’s actual home or at least somewhere someone lives. Ben’s got the couch and Father Lantom brings in coffee while Foggy, Karen and Matt make themselves comfortable on various bits of floor. 

‘Wow,’ Foggy breathes after taking a sip of the latte. ‘You do do a good coffee.’ 

‘Very Irish,’ Matt adds and they all laugh, just as the news shows the FBI dragging Fisk out of his building. ‘What’s happening?’

‘He’s coming out in handcuffs,’ Foggy narrates. ‘Looking like someone broke his favourite toy.’

Ben huffs a laugh. ‘More like someone finally stopped  _ him _ breaking it.’ 

‘A fine way to put it.’ Matt sips from his coffee and makes a face, probably at the strength of the alcohol. ‘A toast then?’

‘To what?’ Karen asks, moving in closer so she can reach them. 

‘To Elena,’ Foggy says, raising his glass. 

Beside Ben, Father Lantom does the same, ‘To a better future,’

‘To Ben,’ Karen says, raising her glass in his direction. 

‘To Nelson and Murdock and Page,’ Ben relies, his glass raised in her direction. 

‘And to everyone else that son of a bitch hurt,’ Matt finishes, causing Foggy and Karen to smirk at the look on Ben’s face. ‘Sorry Father,’ he adds and Father Lantom shrugs. 

‘I’ve heard worse son.’ 

Matt nods. ‘May they finally, finally have justice.’

‘I’ll drink to that,’ Foggy says and it seems to be the cue for everyone to take a long gulp of coffee. ‘Boy this is really ah, Irish.’

Father Lantom shrugs. ‘Figured we all needed it.’ At the looks he gets from everyone he sighs. ‘I’m a priest, not a monk. And sometimes a good long drink is what’s needed.’ He takes another gulp of coffee and smiles at the looks on their faces. 

‘Okay, Matt your priest is cooler than I ever imagined.’ Foggy raises a glass at his friend. ‘We need to add him to the toast.’

Matt starts to laugh at that, Karen’s relieved laughter joining his a second later. Father Lantom looks extremely amused and Ben…

Ben looks a combination of delighted and sad. ‘Ben?’ Foggy asks.

He sighs. ‘I didn’t realise, until that man had his hands around my throat, what I had to lose. What I might have lost.’

‘You didn’t lose us,’ Karen says as she moves to Ben’s side. ‘We nearly lost you but you could never lose us.’ 

He gives her a small smile. 

It’s probably not fitting that this is the moment the news channel on the television flashes an alert, then cuts to helicopter footage of a gun battle. 

_ ‘This just in; Wilson Fisk has escaped FBI custody during a shootout.’ _

‘Oh shit,’ Karen sums up as everyone turns towards the television. ‘Oh  _ shit _ .’

‘They’ll recapture him?’ Foggy tries, ignoring how Matt is twitching. ‘Surely?’

But Karen shakes her head and Ben looks devastated. ‘And if they don’t? We were idiots to think it was over.’

Right. They need to be somewhere safe. ‘We need to go,’ Foggy says, looking for his coat. ‘Get home before they shut down the streets.’

‘You could stay,’ Father Lantom says. ‘No one would think to violate the sanctuary of my home.’

‘We can’t take that chance,’ Matt says, taking his coat from Foggy. ‘Not just for your sake Father, but for Ben’s.’ Ben looks down at Matt’s words but nods. ‘It’s safer for everyone if we were never here.’

Father Lantom sighs but nods. ‘You are always welcome here,’ he says to Karen and Foggy and they nod in agreement. Then Foggy threads his arm through Matt’s and starts to lead him out. 

But Matt pauses in the doorway. ‘Thank you Father, for everything.’

‘Anytime my son.’

********

Matt’s excuse to get Karen into a cab is one of the dumbest lies he’s ever told and that’s saying something. It basically boils down to ‘ _ I want to take my own cab without you’ _ and it’s kinda pathetic. 

But since he slams the door shut on her before she can protest, it’ll probably hold. ‘I’ll get him a cab,’ Foggy says to her, ignoring how she’s pounding at the taxi’s windows.

‘Get her home,’ Matt says as Foggy tries to flag down a cab.

‘Please tell me you have more of a plan than going after Fisk in your black pyjamas. After what he nearly did to Ben…’

Matt looks anguished but determined. ‘I know I’ve not earnt it, not after everything and not yet but… please. I’m asking you to trust me. I know what I’m doing.’

Foggy wants to yell; Foggy wants to scream at Matt to stay and be safe; Foggy wants… Foggy wants his friend to be happy and he knows if he holds Matt up from doing this, this thing he has decided is his duty, and Fisk gets away that Matt will not be happy. 

He can’t stand in Matt’s way. ‘Go. Be a hero,’ he says as he finally flags down a taxi. ‘Just… don’t get killed doing it.’

Matt quirks a smile but says nothing as he ducks into the taxi. It takes off, in completely the wrong direction for Matt’s apartment. So he probably has a plan.

Probably.

Foggy still nearly cries when the news first breaks that the masked vigilante formally known as the ‘Devil of Hell’s Kitchen’ and now known as ‘Daredevil’ has collared Fisk and escaped police custody.

He does cry when Matt turns up in his apartment, dressed in the new suit, barely injured and most importantly  _ alive _ .

Alive is going to help them with moving forward. For now, it is enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Next up either Karen or Ben (probably Karen) dealing with what comes next but also who the hell Daredevil is.


End file.
